


Listen

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [138]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cas as a listener, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Past Suicide Attempt, Scars, discussion of suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 13:38:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7759894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean asks about the scars on his arm, and accepts Sam's brush-off lie.</p><p>Cas does not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Listen

**Author's Note:**

> This is another piece from Tumblr.
> 
> Warnings: past suicide attempt, discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation, scars.

Sam shucks the blood-ruined overshirt. It’s only pure chance that they see it, the light catching Sam’s arm just right.

“The hell is that, Sammy?” Dean demands, looking at the silvery lines displayed clearly in the light.

Sam freezes for half a second, then deliberately makes himself look at the marks. “These?” he asks. “Ghoul.”

“I don’t remember them,” Dean says stubbornly.

Sam looks uncomfortable. “You were, uh, dead,” he mumbles. It’s the lie, of course, that brings him discomfort, but if Dean wants to believe it’s thinking about that time, Sam will easily let him.

Dean huffs. “Right,” he says. “Wanna beer?”

Sam lets some of the tension ease out of his shoulders at the obvious new subject. Dean’s convinced, apparently. “No, I’m good,” he says.

Dean walks off, waving over his shoulder, making it pretty obvious he intends to get lost in a few beers. Just when Sam thinks he’s alone, Cas comes up to him.

Sam jumps. “Jeez, Cas. How long you’ve been here?”

“Long enough to hear you lie to your brother,” Cas says.

Sam starts, but Cas raises a placating hand. “You don’t owe him this story. But maybe it would help you to tell?”

Sam shakes his head. “Not Dean,” he says. “It’s…not another sign of weakness.”

“You are not weak,” Cas says fiercely. Sam hasn’t gotten another shirt yet, is acutely aware of his arms on neat display, and that Cas is looking at them, knowing what’s there.

“How’d you even know?” Sam asks abruptly.

“I’m an angel,” Cas says. “We knew most everything about you, Sam. And now I know you. I know what your life has done to you.”

Sam self-consciously tucks his arms against his sides, hiding the majority of the scarring. “They’re old,” he says. It’s essentially a non-sequiter, but he wants Cas to know this. “I haven’t…”

“No,” Cas says. “Now you just run into hunts thinking that will do the damage.”

Sam flinches at that very true assessment. “What do you want?” he asks.

Cas tilts his head. “I won’t think you’re weak,” he promises. “You can talk to me about it. If not me, someone else. But you should try, Sam. It might help. I’m told it often does help humans.”

Sam furtively looks around, as if to make sure Dean hasn’t crept back in. He hasn’t, of course. Then he looks at Cas, who still looks so earnest. “Not now,” he says quietly. “But maybe…some other time? Later?”

Cas gives him a smile. “Whenever you need,” he says.

Sam actually believes him, too. Maybe tonight, maybe he’ll finally get to talk about this.


End file.
